TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIN NIKOLAI FEDOROVICH ARTAMONOV (Former Soviet Naval Officer) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1960 UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES, PUBLIC HEARING Washington, D.C. A subcommittee of the Committee on Un-American Activities met, pursuant to call, at 2:30 p.m., in the Caucus Room, Old House Office Building, Washington, D.C., Hon. Francis E. Walter (chairman) presiding. Subcommittee members present: Representatives Francis E. Walter, of Pennsylvania; William M. Tuck, of Virginia; and August E. Johansen, of Michigan. Staff members present: Frank S. Tavenner, Jr., director; Alfred M. Nittle, counsel; and Donald T. Appell, investigator. The CHAIRMAN. We will come to order. Call your witness, please, Mr. Tavenner. Have him raise his hand, please. Do you swear that the testimony you are about to give will be the ruth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Captain ARTAMONOV. Yes, I do. The CHAIRMAN. Will the interpreter, Mr. Alexis Schidlovsky, please rise and be sworn? Mr. Schidlovsky, do you swear that you will well and truly interpret he questions and answers, so help you God? Mr. SCHIDLOVSKY. I do. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order. Pursuant to law and the rules of this committee, I have appointed subcommittee for the purpose of conducting this hearing, composed f Representatives William M. Tuck, of Virginia; August E. Johanen, of Michigan; and myself, Francis E. Walter, of Pennsylvania, as hairman. This hearing today is conducted in response to the duties imposed pon us by the Congress of the United States, to make a continuing udy of Communist activities. This is a necessary and vital area of quiry, for the onslaught of the enemies of freedom grows more vocal nd impressive in all parts of the world with each passing day. We ust be informed if we are to cope effectively with the aggressive alsehoods of Communist propaganda. Only the truth shall make and keep us free. 60938-60- -2 1905 It is not always easy to penetrate Communist double-talk. Mr. Khrushchev will quote the scriptures of democracy with the hypocrisy of the Devil. He has sowed the fiction of class struggle, so that he may reap the personal privilege of class power. He will continue to paint a falsely glowing picture of his Communist paradise, but he will not let in the light of the western free world to reveal its shabbiness, its shame, and the miserable view of tortured souls who are made to kneel in worship to the Baal of materialism. The proclaimed lust of the Communist dictatorship for power and world domination, plainly set forth in their theoretical writings and confirmed by their conduct, brings us to the threshold of the Dark Ages. Their admitted policy of imposition, whether by force or deceit, of the atheistic and inhuman views of the few on the many, is a shocking fact of this supposedly civilized day. It is inconceivable that all this is taking place in the twentieth century. The reasonable defensive efforts of the free world are brazenly vilified and misrepresented, a great and calculated noise is raised by the Communist "cheerleaders," in their effort to quiet our voices and to camouflage their planned aggressions. The Communist use of the Big Lie is reminiscent of its adoption by another dictator, the late and unlamented Hitler. In this hearing today we seek to inform ourselves in matters basic to the fulfillment of our duties, which is essential to effective legislation in this field and for the defense of the country. I might also add, in this area of informing itself, the Congress is also exercising its right of free speech, which belongs to all people here under our Constitution and is a necessity even in the legislative process. The committee takes pleasure in having here today former Soviet Navy Captain third rank, Nikolai Fedorovich Artamonov. Captain Artamonov is 32 years old and a native of Leningrad. He served in the Soviet Navy from 1941 until June, 1959, and established a distinguished record. Captain Artamonov was given command of a Soviet Red Banner Baltic fleet destroyer in September, 1955, which command he retained until he made his way to the West. Captain Artamonov has on a number of occasions been singled out for special attention and commendation in the Soviet press. Articles concerning him have appeared in the Soviet Ministry of Defense newspaper "Red Star" and the newspaper "Soviet Navy," in which he has been cited for such things as outstanding performance and leadership, for having achieved a very high degree of competence in antisubmarine training, proficiency for propagandizing party decisions among his officers and men, and his destroyer having been chosen as one of two Soviet destroyers to pay an official visit to Copenhagen. We did not learn this from Captain Artamonov, but the committee has copies of these newspapers with the articles about him. Under the Soviet system these articles can be considered as a great tribute to him. Captain Artamonov was at Gdynia, Poland, training Indonesians in the operations of his destroyer from September 1958 until June, 1959, at which time he escaped to the West. Listening to this young man's statements about the Soviet military and political intentions, strategy, capabilities, Soviet espionage, and the present lot of the Soviet citizen, we were reminded again of the aggressive and deceitful threat to world peace the Soviet Union represents. We believe that Captain Artamonov must speak for himself in bringing these points home to the Congress of the United States and the American people and to those in the free world and behind the Iron Curtain who are willing and able to listen. Before proceeding I would like to announce the witness has been previously examined in executive session. Because of security requirements much of the testimony cannot be dealt with at this hearing, but there are certain areas of information that we deem of public interest and concern and of importance to our study. (The order of appointment of the subcommittee follows:) To: Mr. Frank S. Tavenner. Director. House Committee on Un-American Activities. SEPTEMBER 13, 1960 Pursuant to the provisions of the law and the rules of this Committee, I hereby appoint a subcommittee of the Committee on Un-American Activities, consisting of Representatives William M. Tuck, and August E. Johansen, as associate members, and myself, Francis E. Walter, as Chairman, to conduct a hearing in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, September 14, 1960, at 2:30 p.m., on subjects under investigation by the Committee and take such testimony on said day or succeeding days, as it may deem necessary. Please make this action a matter of Committee record. If any Member indicates his inability to serve, please notify me. [S] FRANCIS E. WALTER, Chairman, Committee on Un-American Activities TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIN NIKOLAI FEDOROVICH ARTAMONOV THROUGH HIS INTERPRETER, ALEXIS SCHIDLOVSKY The CHAIRMAN. Proceed, Mr. Nittle. Mr. NITTLE. Mr. Chairman, may I announce that, due to the witness' limited knowledge of the English language, his testimony will be largely given through an interpreter whom you have already sworn. Will you state your full name and age, please? Captain ARTAMONOV. Nikolai Fedorovich Artamonov. Mr. NITTLE. How old are you? Captain ARTAMONOV. Thirty-two. Mr. NITTLE. I understand that you are a citizen of Soviet Russia; is that correct? Captain ARTAMONOV. Yes; correct. Mr. NITTLE. At the outset, Captain, we should inquire whether your presence here today before this committee of the Congress and the statements you propose to give are purely voluntary and given without force, coercion, or pressure of any kind? Captain ARTAMONOV. Yes. Mr. SCHIDLOVSKY. Yes; he does. Mr. NITTLE. Are you now at this time a member of the Communist Party or a believer in the Communist ideology? Captain ARTA MONOV. No. Mr. NITTLE. Where were you born? Captain ARTA MONOV. In Leningrad. Mr. NITTLE. How long did you live in Leningrad? Captain ARTAMONOV. Practically all my life except being in the Soviet Navy. Mr. NITTLE. Are your parents living? Captain ARTAMONOV. No; they have died. Mr. NITTLE. When did your mother die? Mr. NITTLE. Do you have any brothers or sisters? Captain ARTAMONOV. No; I have not. Mr. NITTLE. What was your last occupation in Russia? Captain ARTAMONOV. I was a Naval officer. Mr. NITTLE. What rank did you last hold in the Soviet Navy? Captain ARTAMONOV. Captain, third rank. Mr. NITTLE. Have you severed all connection with the Soviet Navy and Soviet life? Captain ARTA MONOV. Yes. Mr. NITTLE. Have you sought asylum in the United States? Captain ARTAMONOV. Yes. Mr. NITTLE. Have you been granted asylum in the United States! Captain ARTAMONOV. Yes. Mr. NITTLE. Now, Captain, we would like to trace briefly the history of your life and education. What year were you born in Leningrad? Captain ARTAMONOV. In 1928. Mr. NITTLE. What elementary schooling did you have and when did it commence? Captain ARTAMONOV. I had 7 years of school in Leningrad from 1934 to 1941. Then I entered a special naval school where I completed my intermediate education. From 1945 to 1949, I studied at the Frunze Higher Naval School and from the fall of 1955 to the fall of 1956, I attended special courses for destroyer commanders. Mr. NITTLE. When did you come to the United States? Captain ARTAMONOV. Last year. Mr. NITTLE. Captain, I believe you have prepared for this committee a written statement in Russian which has been translated and which you desire to give? Captain ARTAMONOV. Yes, I do. Mr. NITTLE. Would you give that statement to the interpreter to be read? (Captain Artamonov's statement, as read by his interpreter, Alexis Schidlovsky, follows:) In front of you is a man who was born and educated in the Soviet Union and who lived there for more than 30 years. My entire life has been the life of a true Soviet citizen from an ordinary Soviet family. Since my graduation from the 7-year school in 1941, my life has been closely connected with the Soviet Navy. During World War II, from 1941 to 1945, I attended a Special Secondary Naval School, and from 1945 to 1949, I studied in the Higher Naval School. After receiving my commission I served as a naval officer for 10 years-starting as a watch |